Most county races will be decided in August

SIKESTON -- Area residents will see most races for county offices decided during the August primary but will have to wait until November for a few.

Filing for county offices closed at 5 p.m. Tuesday.

In Scott County, there are three choices for sheriff. Incumbent Rick Walter of Scott City and Bobby Sullivan of Sikeston will first face each other in the August primary election as Democrats. In November, the winner will then be up against Wes Drury of Kelso who is running as a Republican for the position.

There are also three candidates for the second district associate county commissioner position. Democrats will first pick either Donnie Kiefer of Chaffee or Shelby "Skip" Steger of Chaffee in August to go up against the incumbent, Republican Ron McCormick of Scott City, in November. McCormick was appointed to the position by Gov. Matt Blunt in January 2007 when Jamie Burger vacated the office to serve as presiding commissioner.

The race for coroner will also be decided in November as the incumbent, Democrat Scott Amick of Scott City, has a Republican challenger, Charles Matthew Huey of Chaffee.

Scott County incumbents running without opposition for another term in office are: Dennis Ziegenhorn of Sikeston, first district associate county commissioner; Teresa Houchin of Sikeston, county assessor; and Pam Dirnberger of Benton, public administrator. All three are running as Democrats.

Filing closed in Scott County with no candidates for the county surveyor position.

In New Madrid County, the August primary will apparently decide the winners of county offices with all candidates having filed as Democrats.

There is a three-way race for first district county commissioner. Incumbent Mark Baker of New Madrid faces challengers Fred Thatch of Sikeston and Barry Bennett of New Madrid.

For second district county commissioner, incumbent Don Day of Portageville will also face a contest in August as Jerry Scherer of Portageville has filed. Sheriff Terry Stevens of Portageville will be challenged for his office by Anthony Young of New Madrid while Coroner Jimmy McSpadden of New Madrid has an opponent with Jeremy Ruby of Marston filing.

Public Administrator Nancy Pardon did not seek another term in office. Seeking the position are Terri Adams of Matthews and H. Riley Bock of New Madrid.

Incumbents without challengers include: Assessor Ronnie Simmons of Portageville and Treasurer Thomas B. Bradley of Sikeston while Michael Allgier of New Madrid, who was appointed to the post of county auditor, has filed for the unexpired two-year term in office.

County Clerk Clement Cravens described the position of county surveyor in New Madrid County as "vacant and abandoned," as they no longer publish the office as seeking candidates.

In Mississippi County, all candidates filed as Democrats as well.

Incumbent Homer D. Oliver of Charleston will face challenger Robert Jackson of Charleston in the August primary election for another term as first district associate county commissioner.

The incumbent second district county commissioner, Martin Lucas of East Prairie, has said he will not seek another term in office, however. Filed to replace him are Terry Bruce McLain of East Prairie, Steve Jones of East Prairie, Charles Byassee of East Prairie and Clinton Wolford of East Prairie.

Lucas, however, has filed for the position of county surveyor which he held before being elected as a county commissioner.

The incumbent sheriff, Keith Moore of East Prairie, will also have a race to be decided in August as Roy Moore of East Prairie has filed for the position.

Chuck Davis of East Prairie is the only candidate for county assessor as the incumbent, W.R. "Bill" Thompson, did not file for another term.

Incumbents Richard T. "Rick" Reed Jr. of Charleston, public administrator, and Terry A. Parker of Charleston, coroner, are both running without opponents.